In a professional setting, there’s no room for error, experimentation or, put simply, time to faff with your audio equipment. Whether someone comes up to you with a USB stick, a CD or their phone-in-hand to request a song or playlist, you always want to be able to say: no problem!

The cajon is an incredibly popular percussion instrument, but this seemingly straightforward bit of kit is easily underestimated in terms of what it can add to music, and is a ton of fun to play. Time for a closer look into its origin story.

The number of available DAW plugins is still growing every day. In this article, guest-blogger Davey Jonez looks into the biggest differences between the standard plugins you get with your DAW pack, and separately available, commercial plugins. Are the latter worth the investment?

We don’t just buy records based on what we hear, but what we see. According to research, colours, images and even shapes influence our decision-making, so let’s take a closer look at how this works in the context of album artwork.

What exactly is hearing damage and how can it affect you? As a musician, how does hearing damage happen? How easily can it happen and, more importantly, how can you best prevent or limit its effects? Read on to find out more.

Play for free? Is it just something you have to do or can you refuse? Our resident DJ specialist Marc den Hurk is regularly asked if he can play for free and understands that it’s a bit of a dilemma. If you say no, you risk rejection and if you say yes, you’re essentially going to be paying out of your own pocket to play. If DJ-ing is just a hobby, giving your services for free can get very expensive very quickly. Here, Marc lends any conflicted DJs some friendly advice.

You’re desperate to learn to play the guitar, but what’s the best way to do it? The internet is packed with helpful advice: theory, chords, scales, what seems like millions of different kinds of guitars… but you have no idea where to start. Is getting guitar lessons always the best solution? Here, Guestblogger Bart Hennephof lines up every option available to the complete beginner and also asks the question: how important is it to learn to play with the help of a real guitar teacher?

During the height of gangsta rap in the mid ‘90s, a very real rivalry between east coast and west coast rappers emerged, resulting in the death of two legends: Tupac Shakur and Notorious BIG. Here, Guestbloggers Nick and Martin take a brief look at how gangsta rap came about and quickly reached boiling point.

What makes the guitar such an expressive and impressive instrument? Is it the look? Is it the ninja-grade solos? Or is it just the sweet acoustic sound? For me, personally, the answer is simple… it’s the riff, dummy!

As soon as the weather allows it, a lot of birthday parties, weddings and other events are enjoyed outside. And that’s when the right speaker is suddenly a must, because that little Bluetooth speaker on the bookshelf in the living room probably won’t cut it. Thankfully, you’ve got a lot of options when you’re in the market for a speaker that supports a bash in the great wide open.

A podcast is kind of like radio-on-demand. Listening to podcasts is only getting more and more popular, and the number of people that want to start their own podcast is growing every day. In this article, we’ll explain the basics of podcasting and not only show you how you can make your own podcast, but how to become a better podcaster while you’re at it.

An unforgettable wedding party hinges on the right music, which is why it’s not only important for wedding deejays to pick the right tracks, but play them in the right order. Read on and learn how to properly structure your playlists.